Improvement in bee-hsves



Y 2 Sheets--Sheet T.

H. K. WLLSQN.

Improvement in .Bee Hives;

Cl, K

H. K. WILSON. Improvement in=Bee Hives.

N0. 125,776; PatentedApri|16,1872.

Zi/7 Vyf?? 27?' www 4 'raras HARMON K. WILSON, OF BARBOURSVILLE, KENTUCKY.

'IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HEVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.l 125,776, dated April 16, 1872 antedated April l0, 1872.

Specification describing certain Improvements in Bee-Hives, invented by HARMON K. VILSON, of Barboursville, in the county of Knox and State of Kentucky.

. the colony shall become large, and about to swarm as a consequence; then the doors in each twin hive may be closed and they be separated, and a fresh empty one of like form Y and equal dimensions mav be placed against and attached to each by hooks or otherwise, and the doors raised, and thus each division of the original colony will have as much room as the whole had before, and thus the necessity of vswarming will be dispensed with without loss or risk-this operation to be repeated as often as it may become expedient. The second part of my invention relates to the Y construction of said sliding doors in-combination with inside lining for each box or hive, in such a manner that such doors may be shut down and closed without injury to the bees, as hereinafter more fully shown and described. The third part of my invention relates to an improvementupon theLangstroth comb-frame, which consists in a horizontal cross-bar fixed in the same, which bar is provided with a longitudinal groove on each of its sides, extending its entire length, and through the upright side pieces, and is pierced with transverse holes. The object of this construction is, first, that the bars shall cause the bees to make the comb in each frame in two sections, and therefore of greater strength; secondly, that the grooves and holes shall furnish the bees and honey ventilation, the holes and grooves bebe stopped up with comb.

In the drawing, Figure l represents an elevation of a complete hive, showing the twin hives C C covered by one cap A. Fig. 2 represents a cross-vertical sectional view of the extra honey-box Eand top F, which are placed over each twin box composing the double hive,

ing so formed and located that they will not v H being the aperture through which .the bees ascend. Fig. 3 shows a side view of a combframe, and Fig. 4 a vertical cross-section of the same. Fig. 5 shows a side edge of one of the sliding doors afore mentioned. Fig. 6 represents a perspective view from a point above, of the twin hives attached together, the cap being removed, so as to display the tops of the movable comb-frames and of the sliding door in one of the boxes. Fig. 7 Ashows a like view from a similar position of one of the twin boxes with its sliding door K, raised so as to display one of therabbets upon which rest the ends of the pieces l? of the comb-frames, and the cleats upon which rests the cover A.

The principal object which is effect-ed by my improvements is to prevent a colony of bees from swarming when it becomes too large.

for the space in which it is confined. Swarming is naturally dreaded by the bee-keeper,

and results often in the loss of a whole colony, and always in more or less annoyance. Now the twin hives are fastened together by hooks, as shown, and covered by one cap, and the sliding doors K K are raised, the whole make but one hive, a-nd comb and honey will be deposit-ed in both boxes, as well as broodcomb, and when the bee-keeper discovers a disposition to swarm he can close down the sliding doors K K, and remove the cap and honey-boxes, and unhook the parts, and then have two hives, with a colony in each. Then he may attach a fresh and empty box of the same form and construction to each, and raise the sliding doors, and thus each colony willl have just double the space it had before, and will be content without swarming. It', however, there should be an unequal distribution of comb, honey, or brood-comb, it will be easyV to equalize it by changing the combframes from one box to the other, according to requirements of the case, as these frames merely rest with the ends of the piece l? on the rabbet on the inside, and do not touch the walls otherwise.

To prevent the bees now divided into colonies from mingling again the hives should be placed as far apart as practicable in the bee-house or other place where they may be ke t.

'he division with which the queen is left will be content with her, of course, while the other division, impelled by strong instinct, will soon rear them a queen from workers eggs, or else the bee-keeper may supply them with one.

By the use of my improvements,if the season, climate, locality, and supply of food be favorable, as many as half a dozen colonies may be produced within a year from a single one.

My sliding door K, before mentioned, is provided with a tongue, a, on each edge, which iits into a groove in the wall in each side of it. The bottom of the opening which this door closes, is at on its bottom, and the lower end of the door is beveled to a sharp edge, so that it will not crush the bees inbeing closed down. Then, in order that they shall not be disturbed by the moving of this door up and down, it is completely covered by the thin plank lining zu, so that they may not come upon the' door at all.

In Figs. 3 and4 is -fully shown the Ila-ng- "stroth comb-frame, together with my improvand the transverse holes i i will not be filled with comb, but will furnish spaces for ventilation.

Now I am aware that L. H. Critchfield in his patent dated October 5, 1869, describes a bee-hive in two equal parts, covered with one cap, and `attached by slip-hinges, and when they are separated an entire plank wall is slipped into grooves in each part to close it up, but when they are used together a combframe of the thickness of the two temporary walls occupies their place; therefore I do not claim that construction; but

What I do claim as my invention is 1. A bee-hive, composed of two like and equal portions, G O, each having four permanent walls, but opening into each other, when desired, by means of doors in their contiguous walls, constructed substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The sliding doors K K, having their lower ends sharpened, in combinationvwith the inner linings w w, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The inner middle piece O, with its holes and grooves, in combination with the combframe I) I I q, construct-ed substantially as and for the purpose described. f

' HARMON K. WILSON.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. LrNsLEY, H. H. HUNTER. 

